Auxiliary feeding means for hosiery seamers



NOV. 18, 1952 1 A, PONS 2,618,230

AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HoIsERY SEAMERS Filed April e, 1948 I e sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 18, 1952 J, A. PONS 2,618,230

AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HOISERY SEAMERS Filed April 6, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 mlm num- 243-75 76 wmf- 22' y 20@ umnumm Humm u 73 JOHN A. PONS, gil/UWM I @wh Grimma/u Nov. 18, 1952 J. A. PONS AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HOISERY SEAMERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 6, 1948 Nov. l-8, 1952 J. A. PONS AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HOISERY SEAMERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1948 .m o W m m Nov. 18, 1952 J. A. PONS AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HOISERY `SEMERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 6, 1948 IIIIIIIIIIIIILII .m N O D. Am N H O J Nov. 18, 1952 J, A PONS 2,618,230

AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HOISERY SEAMERS Filed April 6, 1948 6 SheeS-Sheerl 6 Patented Nov. 18, Y 1952 UNITED STAT AUXILIARY FEEDING MEANS FOR HOSIERY SEAMERS John A. Pons, Morganton, N. C., assigner to The Singer Manufacturing Company,

Elizabeth,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 6, 1948, Serial No. 19,193

(Cl. i12- 18) 20 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in hosiery seaming machinery and more especially to a machine for seaming ladies hosiery at high speed.

Heretofore, the hosiery to be seamed has been :fed through the seaming machine by means of a pair of driven contra-rotation feeding cups disposed adjacent each other, on a horizontal plane, :and these feeding cups have fine teeth cut in their outer peripheries which are adapted to mesh when there is no hosiery blank in the machine. One of the feeding cups is mounted on a stationary vertical axis and the other of the feeding cups is mounted on a resilient vertical axis so that when a blank is fed between the feeding cups the teeth on the periphery of the feeding cups engage opposite sides of the blank immediately below the selvage edges thereof.

The resiliency of one of the feeding cups is adjustable to thereby increase or decrease the pressure exerted on the blank as it is passed between the proximate edges of the feeding cups in a seaming operation. Now, as the feeding cups feed the blank through the seaming machine the pressure of the cut teeth on the peripheries of the two feeding cups often severs one or more of the threads in the blank immediately below the seam and thus cause runs and pull threads in the hose.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means cooperating with the feeding cups to thereby assist in drawing the hosiery blank through the machine so that the pressure existing between the feeding cups may be adjusted to decrease this pressure so as not to injure the hose.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for holding the hose taut after the hose has been seamed in the conventional manner to thereby insure a more consistent uniformity in the stitches of the seam for the entire length of the hose than has heretofore been possible.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pair of lightly knurled driven contra-rotating, and resiliently mounted rollers disposed in the path of the hose as it is fed through the machine and between which the seamed portion of said hose passes, said seam being engaged by the rollers to not only assist in moving the hose through the machine but the pressure of these rollers being exerted von opposed sides of the seam instead of that portion of the hose immediately below the seam thus eliminates the main cause of hosiery being damaged in the seaming operation.

When the hose is made of very soft and pliable thread, such as 10, and 20 denier, the conventional feeding cups have heretofore, in many instances, caused the selvedge edges of the hose to bunch rup between the feeding cups as they are fed to the same by an operator and the feeding cups would not carry the selvedge edges through the machine properly. This not only causes a number of stitches to be repeated through one point of the stitched edges, but also causes the material which is bunched up between the feeding cups to be torn and thus completely ruin the hose. it is therefore another object of this invention to overcome this condition by having the knurled rollers disposed in the path of the stitched edge of the hose and these knurled rollers resiliently engage each side of the seam of the hose at the level of the needle and thus draw the hose through the machine and thus take this responsibility away from the feeding cups.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a conventional Singer seaming machine with parts broken away and showing the invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the upper front portion on an enlarged scale, looking from the left-hand side of Figure 1 to the right and is taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1 but shows some of the parts in a different position;

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of the front portion of the machine and is taken substantially along the line 3--3 in Figure 2 with cover IBI removed;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the invention taken substantially along the line d-li in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 5 5 in Figure 1 showing the leg portion of the hose being fed through the machine;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan View similar to Figure 5 but showing the welt portion of the hose being fed through the machine;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line 1-1 in Figure 3 with the lower portion of the invention broken away;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the central left-hand portion of Figure 3 but showing the cover for the pinions in place and showing other parts in a different position;

Figure 9 is an enlarged elevation of the front portion of the machine with parts broken away and being taken substantially along the line 9-9 in Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a sectional plan view taken along the line lll-i8 in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is an isometric view of the invention removed from the machine and omitting the gear cover from the same;

Figure l2 is a View looking up substantially along the line 12--12 in Figure 11 with parts broken away;

Figure 13 is a plan view similar to Figure 5 showing the movable parts schematically and in a different position;

Figure 14 is a schematic elevation of the parts shown in Figure 13 and is taken substantially along the line ILS-Iii in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a plan view similar to Figure 13 but showing the movable parts in another position;

Figure 16 is a schematic elevation similar to Figure 14 but showing the parts in another position and being taken substantially along the line IIS-IB in Figure 15;

Figure 11 is a plan view similar to Figure 13 but showing the parts in still another position;

Figure 18 is an elevation similar to Figure 1li showing the parts in still another position and being taken' substantially along the line lli- I8 in Figure 177.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral Il) indicates a conventional cast housing of the seaming machine which has confined therein conventional means for driving the various parts of the machine'to be hereinafter described. This housing Iii has, rotatably mounted therein and projecting therefrom, a horizontally disposed shaft I l on which is flxedly mounted a grooved pulley I2. This pulley'IZ has mounted thereon the 'upper end of a belt I3 which extends downwardly to a suitable driving means, not shown.

The lower portion of the housing Iii projects towards the observer in Figure 1 and has integral therewith a boss I'which also has integral therewith anupwardly extending sleeve I6 which is integral at its upper end with an outwardly projecting portion I1 which is integral with, and extends outwardly from, the front vertical surface of YJthe housing I0.

Rotatably'mo'unted in the boss I5, the sleeve IS, and the outwardly'projecting portion I1, is a vertically disposed shaft I8 which is driven'at its lower end by conventional means confined within the housing` Il?.` Thev vertically'disposed'shaft I8 extends upwardly above the' outwardly projecting portion YI'I and has, flxedly mounted thereon, by any suitable means suchas set screws 23 (Figures 9 and 10), a conventional rear circular feeding cup 2Q which has serrations or teeth 2I cut in its outside periphery and has a hub portion IS integral' therewith 'and Vextending downwardlyftherefrom (Figure 9).

Disposed within the feeding cup 23,' and extending above the'upper'edge of the same, is a conventional fabric 'guide 25'; which is secured, vby any suitable means such 'as screws 25, to an L-shaped bracket 25 which is secured, by screws 21, to a boss 3integral with the front vertical surface of the housing Il) (Figures 3 and 9) The fabric guide 24 has secured thereon, by screws 3|, a conventional chainingflnger 32 which projects forwardly Yand to the left, in Figure 3, and has a tapering pointed portion 33 integral therewith.

The fabric guide 2li has a transverse groove 35 therein (Figure 3) which is penetrated Yby a conventional gauge needle 36. The gauge needle 36 is securely mounted in a conventional needle clamp 31, by a set screw 38. The needle clamp 31 is secured to the front end'of a conventional needle bar *48, by a screw 4I. This needle bar 40 has reciprocating forward and rearward movement in the housing I0 and is driven by conventional means, not shown, disposed within the housing I0.

The forward end of the needle bar '40 has, inte- 4 gral therewith, an outwardly projecting portion l2 in which a vertically',` disposed 'stub shaft 43 is xedly mounted. The stub shaft 53' extends upwardly and has, oscillatably mounted thereon, a conventional arm l5 (Figures 1 and 2) which has a conventional socket portion 46 secured on its free end, by screws 4T, and this socket portion i6 has, oscillatably mounted therein, a ball portion 43 (Figure 1) disposed on the lower end of an arm 48 which is xedly secured at its upper end to one end of a shaft 5U, by a screw 5 I. The screw 5I also secures an upwardly projecting wire thread guide 52 to the end of the shaft 50.

The shaft 59 is oscillatably mounted in a bearing portion 53 of a downwardly projecting bracket 5A which is secured at its upper end to the lower surface of a forwardly projectingportio`n 55 of the'conventionalhousing I0, Eby'. conventional means, not shown. The front end of the shaft 5I) has clamped thereon, a screw 51, a downwardly projecting arm Sil, which has. secured thereto, by a screw Si, a'4 conventional left-hand loop'eriS which extends towards theA chain finger 32 in Figure 3. The left-hand looper -33v has secured to the front verticalrsurface thereof, by screws 6d, a conventional needle guide .iitwhich also extends downwardlyand towards the chaining finger 32, but the free end of the'same' diverges in spaced relation to the'ffreelend of: the 1 conventional left-hand looper63;

Projecting downwardly kfrom within .the outwardly projecting portion 5510i the'housi'ng- I0, is a split collar E5 which hasoutwardly .extending ears B3 integral therewith, one of which' is slidablypenetrated by a screw 8.1" and this'screw .I'I is thr'ea'dably imbedded in the remaining ear 66 to thus clamp the collar around a downwardly projecting sleeve 1G. "This collar 'is an integral pa'rt of a conventional springs'v means within the housing II), not shown, for urging the collar 35 and' associated -parts inwardly, or to the left, as observed in 'Figure 2 and to thusY urge a front feeding cup "I2, to be presently described, inwardly towards the rear feeding cup 20.

The 'sleeve 15 is penetrated by a vertical disposed'fshaft 1I (Figure "3) which isA rotatably mountedt'vithin the sleeve 19 and is driven at its upper end 'by conventionalmeans, not shown, confined within the housingv I. The lowerend of the v'vertically vdisposed lshaft 1 I has integral therewith the Yconventional front circular feeding cup 12. -This front `circular feeding cu'pV 12 has serrations'or vteeth 13 cut -in its outside periphery which areadapted to engage the vteeth l2l'y of the rear Yfeeding cup 2Q, whenthere is no hose-in the machine, and areurged against the same by conventional means, vnot shown, confined within the outwardly projecting y portion F55 of thev I'seamer housing I0.

Integral 'with the-lower end `of the sleeve 10 is a disk .15'fwhich` is disposed :within .the front feeding cup 12; 1 This disk 15 has mounted'thereon, by screws'l, a conventional'needleguide 1.1 (Figures 3, 5, 6 and 13 to 18)'. .Theneedle guide 11 has agroove 18 extending longitudinally. thereof, vthat'is,` from the'junctionpoint of the two feeding cups 2li and 12, to'the vertically' disposed sleeve 'Eil (Figure 3). "This .groove`18ii'si also in alinement with the-groove'35 inthe'fabricguide 24.

There 'is also `.projecting-downwardly; from within the outwardly projecting .portion'.55.of the seamerhousing I0, a bearingmember (Figure 1).'V This bearing member 85 has conventional levers 8.6 and'l'extending outwardly'therefrom which are adapted to be engaged by ones fingers, on opposed side thereof, and urged towards one another at their outer ends and, inasmuch as they pass each other intermediate their ends they are moved away from each other at their inner ends. These levers 86 and 81 are pivotally mounted in a conventional manner and are urged towards each other, near their left-hand ends in Figure l, by a tension spring 90 which is secured at each end to the levers 88 and 81 respectively. The levers 85 and 81 are employed as part of a locking device in association with a conventional uncurler unit, broadly designated at 9|, and extending downwardly therefrom. This uncurler unit 9| is swingably mounted on the downwardly projecting bearing portion 85 and comprises a center uncurler plate 93 which has, disposed on each side thereof, outside uncurler plates 92 and 94 (Figures 1 'and 5) which are spring pressed by vconventional means, not shown, towards the center uncurler plate 93. The outside uncurler plates 92 and 94 are pivotally mounted adjacent their upper ends, on a stub shaft 95 (Figure l), and these uncurler plates 92 and 94 extend upwardly above the uncurler plate 93 and have ooncavo-convey` portions 96 integral therewith which are adapted to be urged apart fro-m each other by a compression spring, not shown, disposed between the concavo-convex portions 95. The stub shaft 95 is flxedly mounted in a portion 91 of the uncurler unit 9| which projects downwardly from the bearing portion 85.

The seamer housing l has projecting outwardly therefrom a conventional boss |00 (Figure 1) having a shaft |0| oscillatably mounted therein. This shaft |9| is driven by conventional means disposed within the vhousing I0. The shaft |0| has i'lxedly mounted on the inner end of the same a conventional right-hand looper |02. The boss |93 is cut away as at |03 and the shaft |0| has, integral therewith and projecting upwardly through the out-away portion |03, a conventional thread take-up arm |04.

The seamer housing I0 also has projecting outwardly therefrom, conventional tension assembly l units broadly designated at |05, |96, and |01. The tension assembly units |05 and |01, being identical, like reference characters will apply to the tension assembly unit |01 as those applying to the tension assembly unit |05, with the prime notation added. The tension assembly unit |06 comprises a shaft |09 which is integral with and projects outwardly from the left-hand side of the housing l0 in Figure 2 and has secured thereto a bracket H0 having outwardly projecting ears and ||2 which are perforated as at ||4 and H5, respectively. This shaft |09 has integral therewith a conventional tension disk ||1 which is engaged by another conventional tension disk H8 which is urged against the tension disk H1 by a compression spring |20 which engages, at its outer end, a. knurled adjustment nut |2| which is threadably mounted on the outer end of the shaft |09.

The tension assembly unit |05 is very similar to the tension assembly units |06 and |01 with the exception that it has a bracket having a vertically disposed portion |25` integral therewith which is adapted to guide a thread |21 through the tension assembly unit |05 the right-hand side of the housing ||l in Figure 1. The bracket |25 also has, disposed at its lower end, an outwardly projecting ear having a hole |3| therethrough through which the thread |21 passes to the needle in a manner to be later described. The tension assembly unit |05 also comprises a shaft |35 which has integral therewith a disk |33 which has urged against the same a tension disk |31, by a compression spring |39 the other end of which engages a knurled adjustment nut |38 which is threadably mounted on the outer end of the shaft |35.

Extending from suitable spools of a conventional thread unwinder, not shown, are threads |21, |40 and |4I. The thread |21 passes between th-e tension disks |36 and |31 (Figure 1) and then passes downwardly through the hole |3| in the outwardly projecting portion |30. The thread |21 passes downwardly through the upwardly projecting thread take-up arm |04 and then downwardly through the lower portion of the needle clamp 31 and then forwardly and upwardly through the eye of the gauge needle 36 and finally through the edges |41 and |48 of a hose |50.

The thread |40 passes through one or more of the perforations ||4 in the bracket H0, then between the tension disks ||1 .and H8 and then through the hole ||5 in the outwardly projecting portion ||2 of the bracket H0. The thread |40 then passes downwardly through a hole |39 in the bracket 54, downwardly through the heel of the left-hand looper E3 and outwardly through the eye in the free end of the looper 63 and finally to the selvage edges |41 and |43 of the hose The thread |4| passes through one or more of the holes I4 in the bracket 0 and then passes between the tension disks ||1 and H8 and outwardly through the hold H5 in the outwardly projecting portion H2 of the bracket H0. The thread |4| then passes downwardly through the hole |42 in the downwardly projecting bracket 54 and thence downwardly through the heel of the conventional right-hand looper |02 and then downwardly through an eye in the lowermost end of the right-hand looper |02. Thus the seaming machine is threaded for a conventional threethread stitch.

The two edges |41 and |43 of the hose |50, that are to be seamed, pass on each side of the center uncurler plate 93 and edge |41 passes between the center uncurler plate 93 and the inside uncurler plate 32. The edge |48 passes between center plate 33 and front plate 34. The rear feeding cup 20 rotates in a clockwise direction in Figure 3 and the front feeding cup 12 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 3 to thus move the edges |41 and |43 of the hose |50, which is -engaged by the proximate edges of the feeding cups 20 and 12, from right to left in Figure 3. The uncurler plates 92, 93 and 94 are conventional means for uncurling the selvage edges |41 and |43 of the hose blank |53 as they are fed to the feeding cups 20 and 12;

As the selvage edges |41 and |43 of the hose |50 pass between the feeding cups 20 and 12 the gauge needle 35 moves from its rearmost position, substantially as shown in Figure 15, through the uppermost edges |41 and |48 of the hose l5@ and to the position shown in Figure 3.

As the gauge needle 36 moves forwardly the left-hand looper 63 and the needle guide 65, which is integral therewith, -move downwardly and to the left from the position shown in Figures l5 and 16 to the position shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6. Also, at this same time, the righthand looper |02 moves downwardly and then upwardly from the position shown in Figure 14 7 tothe positionshownin- Figure 18 and then to the position shown Figure 16.

The gauge needle 36 then movesrearwardly out of the hose |50 and at the Sametime the lefthandlooper 63- -passes under a loop, formed against the tapered portion 33 of thechaining finger 32 as the gauge needle moves rearwardly and moves the same upwardly as the left-hand looper 63 moves upwardlyand then ther-ightl'-1and-looperl moves downwardly from the position shown in Figure 14 to the position'shown'in Figure 18. The lreciprocatory motion of the needle 3S, vthe left-hand looper 63 and the'righthandi looperv |02 is causedY by conventional parts Within the housing I0 and this reciprocatory motionforms chain'stitches |52 over the pointed portion'33 of the chainingiinger 32 andv these stitches |52 slidev off of the portion 33 as; the hose |5|1v continues through the machine andthus form the seam on the hose |50. 1

All of the parts heretofore described are conventionalparts of a hosiery seamer such as is manufactured by the Singer Manufacturing Company under their number 242-1; amore complete description of which maybe found in'their instruction booklet forml 19537 revised- (142), 4and bearing copyright 194C-landA 1942, and itis in yassociation with these partsthat this invention is adapted to be used.

Now, as heretofore stated,'uniformi-ty of the stitches |52 is more efficiently produced by the hose -being held'taut at an unchanging amount of tension from' thetime the hose startsto pass from between the feeding cups 201 and 12 until the hose islcom'pletely seamed.'y This isl insured by a pair of knurled rollersv land |6| lbetween which theseam of the hose |511Lv passes fafter it leaves the feeding cups 20- and 12. The knurled roller IBI is rotatably-mounted on a xed axis, while the roller |60 is rotatably-mounted on a spring-pressed'axis, in a manner to bepresently described; Theimproved-, newI structure cornprises a gear wheel |63 which isXedly-mou-nted on the hub portion I9 of the rear feeding" cup 2G, by any suitable means such as set screws- |64. Itr may be `observed in Figures 9 and 1|)V that the hub- |552 ofthe gear wheel |63 hasbores |85v therein to permit -access to the setl` screws 23' which secure the feeding cup 20 on the shaft I8.r There disposed around thegear wheel |63 a curved guardv plate |66 which is turned out-wardly, as at |61, and is 'secured to the front face of the bracket 276 by the lowermost ofthe screws 21 (Figure 9). This guard plate |65 passes from the front face of the bracket 26 forwardly around the gear wheel |63, the curvature of the same conforming substantially to the periphery ofi the feeding cup 2|). The free end of the guard plate |66 then exten-ds from the front edge of the feed- Iing cup 20, to the left in Figure .5, parallel to the path of the hose |50, to Where the free ',end of the guard Yplate |66 is adjacente, pinion |10.

Thefpinion |110 is engaged-'and=driven-by-the gear wheel |63 and -this pinionv |10 isfxedly mounted on', the Vrestricted lower :end .of a Vvertically disposerdfshaft I1|,and yis secured on the same, by any suitable means Such as-a dowel pin |12 (Figure 12). The shaft |1| is rotatably mounted in an upwardly projectingV portion. |13 of a-substantially Z-shaped` bracket, broadly.y designatedat |15.

This bracket |15 comprisesa horizontaliy disposed portionl |16, a downwardly projectingrear portion` |11, .the upwardly projecting .front portion" |13'an'd a horizontally disposed plate portion 75 8 I 8D all 0f which are integral-'and the horizontally disposed plate portion |89 projects forwardly of the upwardly projecting portion I 13. The downwardly projecting rear portion |11 has a bore |32 therethrough which is penetrated by a, screw |33 (Figure l) the other end of which is thread- ,ably embedded in the conventional seamer housing I9, to thus secure the bracketv |15 to the housingv IG. The upwardly projecting portion |13 of the-bracket |15 is cut away as at |811 on somewhat of an angle so that the bracket |15 will not engage that portion of the rear feeding cup 26 which is adjacent the bracket |15.

' The horizontally disposed plate portion I 3i? has recesses |81, |911, ISI, |92 and |93 which are adapted to'receive pinions |95 to |99 inclusive, the depths of the recesses( |81 and |99 to I 93 inclusive, being slightly deeper than the thickness of each of the pinions |95 to |99 inclusive, so that the top surfaces of the pinions I 95 to |99 inclusive, are slightly below flush with the top surface of the horizontally disposed plate portion |89. The pinion |9515- xedly mounted on the restricted upper end of the vertically disposed shaft I'II, by any suitable means such as a dowel pin 2|3I (Figure 11).

The rearmost knurled roller lei is ii'xedly mounted on a vertically disposed shaft 25. The upperend of the roller IGI is adjacent the lower surface of the horizontally disposed plate portion |89 and the shaft 295 is rotatably mounted in, and projects upwardly through, the horizontally disposed yplate portion into the recess' |93. This shaft 2&5 has fixediy mounted thereon the pinion I 99, by any suitable means such as a dowel pin 2te; The lower end of the roller Itl is supported on an outwardly extending portion 2M of an L-shaped bracket 288 which is secured, by any suitable means such as a screw 29, to the front surface of the vertically disposed portion 13, of the bracket |15. The shaft 235 extends downwardly beiow the lower end off the rolier and is rotatably mounted in the outwardlyrextending portion 291 of the bracket 238.

'Ilhe front `knurled roller. |159, which-is disposed adjacent' the rear knurled roller IBI, is flxedly mounted on a vertically disposed shaftk 2H) and the upper end of this roller |51! is adjacent the lower surface of a` block 2M, which is slidably `mounted in a slot 2|@ disposed in the plate portion Iil-of the bracket |15 and the lower surface of which is also flush with the lower surface of the horizontally disposed plate portion |86. The shaft 2HE extends upwardlythrough the block 2id into a cavity 2|5 cut in the upper surface of the block 2|@ to thereby receive-a Ypinion 2I2 which is secured on the upper end of the shaft Me, by any suitable means such as a dowel pin 213 (Figure 11).

The lower end of the roller i6@ is supported on an inwardly projecting portion' 229 of an irregularlyl shaped bracket 22| (Figure 12) and this inwardly projecting portion 229 has rotatably mounted therein the lower end of the shaft ZIJ. The bracket 22| extends upwardly and is integralv with an L-shaped horizontally disposed portion 223 which extends forwardly and inwardly infront of the roller |60. and is secured, by any suitable means vsuch as a screw/,224, to the lower surfaceof the block 2 Id'. The block 2 I4 has horizontal sliding movement in the horizontally dispesedplate portion |80, of the bracket |15,.and is slidablyjmounted on horizontally disposeddowel pins 23|!,and 23| (Figure 1.1) which are-xedly mounted in the proximate sides of the slot 2|6 in 9. which the block 2M has horizontal sliding movement.

It is manifest that the front roller |29 as well as the bracket 22| will move, on a horizontal plane, whenever the block 2 I4 moves and so that portion of the bracket 223 which extends beneath the horizontally disposed plate portion |89 is cut away, as at 232, so that the bracket 22| will not engage the lower surface of the horizontally disposed plate portion |20. The pinion 2|2 does not engage the pinion |99 inasmuch as the pinion 2|2 and associated parts have horizontal movement in the horizontally disposed plate portion |80, the outward movement of which is caused by the thickness of the seamed hose and the inward movement of which is caused by spring means to be later described. Thus, the pinion 2|2 engages the idler pinion |98 which is rotatably mounted on an upwardly projecting pin 236 and is disposed within the recess |92 of the plate portion |80. The pin 236 is xedly mounted at its lower end in the plate portion |80.

The pinion |92 in turn engages the pinion |91 which is rotatably mounted on an upwardly projecting pin 231 the lower end of which is secured in the plate portion |80.

|91 then engages the pinion |93 which is rotatably mounted on another upwardly projecting pin 238, the lower end of which is also secured in the horizontally disposed plate portion |89. This pinion |9i5, of course, engages the driving pinion |95 and thus transmits rotation to the pinion 2|2 in a counter-clockwise direction as observed in Figures 3, 5 and 6. So that the pinions |95 to |99 and the pinion 2|2 will not be exposed at the top of the plate member |22, there is secured on the plate |82 a closure plate |8|, by any suitable means such as screws |35.

The front face of the block 2|| has a groove 240 therein cooperating with a groove 24| in the front face of the horizontally disposed plate portion |88. The grooves 220 and 24| have, slidably mounted therein, an inwardly projecting portion 242 of a bell crank 2Ll3. rlhe bell crank 223 is pivotally mounted at its heel on a pin 245i which is iixedly mounted, at each end, in the plate portion |80. The bell crank 243 also has a rearwardly projecting portion 261 integral therewith, the end of which is engaged by a compression spring 25|! which extends outwardly from a bore 25| in the left-hand side of the horizontally disposed plate portion |82 as observed in Figures 3 and 8.

It is thus seen that when there is no hose |52 passing between the rollers |59 and the roller |60 will be urged against the roller |55. However, when the selvage edges |131 and |48 of the hose |52 are seamed and passes between the rollers |62 and |6| the roller |69 will move forwardly and, inasmuch as the rollers |62 and |25 are driven so that the surface speed of the rollers |60 and |6| is equivalent to the surface speed of the feeding cups 29 and 12, the hose |555 is urged through the rollers |62 and ||i| at a constant rate of speed and thus the tension or tautness of that portion of the hose |59 which is disposed between the feeding cups 2|) and 12 and the roll ers |69 and will always be consistent.

It is also manifest from this description that the pressure exerted on the hose by the feeding cups 29 and 12 need not be as great as has been in conventional practice, inasmuch as the rollers |69 and |61 assist in drawing the hose |52 through the machine. The rollers |22 and 212| .having a very light knurl thereon and also en- This pinion gaging the seamed portion of the stocking rather than that portion which is disposed immediately therebelow, as is the case with the cups 2i? and 12, will thus prevent the formation of puil threads and runs from the hose which have heretofore been caused by the serrations or gear teeth 2| and 13 of the feeding cups 2@ and 12, respectively, extending too much pressure on the hosiery blank.

The threaded hole on the front surface of the conventional seamer housing 9, in which the screw |83 which secures the bracket |15 to the housing ||l is secured, is ordinarily used for mounting a conventional thread cutter for cutting the thread after the hose |56) has been seamed. However, since this bracket |15 is mounted in the manner stated, it has been necessary to redesign a thread cutter, in the manner shown and, broadly designated at 252.

The thread cutter 299 is L-shaped and has a substantially horizontal arm 25| and a vertical arm 262 and the vertical arm 222 has extending inwardly therefrom an ear 263. The ear is slidably penetrated by screws 2512 which are threadably embedded in threaded holes Et'a in the vertically disposed portion |11 of the bracket |15 (Figure 1l). The substantially horizontai arm of the thread cutter 26| is rounded at its forward end, as at 261, and has a slot 21@ out therein which is adapted to sever the threads as heretofore described.

The guard plate |96, being disposed adjacent the gear wheel |23 and the pinion |12, thus prevents the hose |50 from becoming entangled in the teeth of the gear |63 or the pinion l1@ as it passes between the feeding cups 12 and 2|? and the knurled rollers |69 and IGI.

It is thus seen that in the conventional machine, the feed cups 29 and 12 not only held the selvage edges alined, but also had to exert enough pressure on the hosiery blank to feed the same through the machine. By the addition of the additional feeding mechanism which exerts pressure on the seamed edge and not on the knitted fabric adjacent the seam, no damage is imparted to the fabric adjacent the seam. Thus the cups 2|) and 12 are employed to hold the fabric with the two selvage edges projecting above the cups for the seaming operation, and the auxiliary feed serves to pull the hose through the machine.

1n the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specic terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. ln a, machine for searning the two edges of a hosiery blank together and having a pair of rotary feeding means between which the edges of the blank are fed so that the selvedge edges project slightly outside of the path of travel of the feeding means and having looping mechanisms for forming a row of stitches to secure the selvedge edges of the hosiery blank together, a pair of auxiliary feed rollers disposed a substantial distance away from the point of seaming and disposed for engagement with the seamed selvedge edge of the stocking to pull the same through the machine, said auxiliary feed rollers being driven by the machine at approximately the same surface speed as the first-named means and whereby the seamed stocking is held tautly between the point of seaming and where it passes the auxiliary feed rollers.

2. In a structure accordingto claim .1, resilient means for pressing one'of the 'auxiliaryfeedlrollers toward its associated `feed roller.

3. In a hosiery seaming machine for seaming together the Selvedge edges of a hosiery blank and having a pair of rollers between which the edges of the blank are passed so that the edges of the blank project substantially above the upper surface of the rollers and having sewing mechanism for forming a line of stitches through and over the selvedge` edges of the blankv and having resilient means pressng'the 'two rollers together, additional feeding means disposed remotely from the first-named feeding lmeans vand having a pair of driven rollers resiliently mounted relative to each vother and disposed to engage the seamed edge of the stocking and thereby assist the conventional feeding means in propelling the stocking through the machine. Y

4. In a hosiery seaming machine having means for feeding the selvedge edges of a hosiery blank through the machine and forming-a line Vof stitches through and over the selvedge edges, additional means for moving the -stocking through the machine comprising a pair of rollers --dis- `in feeding the stocking throughfthe machine,

one of the first-named Vfeeding kmeans being resiliently mounted to press the selvedgeedge of the stocking toward the other of the first feedingr means, and whereby the pressure between the proximate surfaces of the rollers of the Ifirst feeding means may be substantially lessened to prevent damage to the stocking blank by the first-named feeding means.

5. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontallydisposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed below the path of reciprocation-of said needle for supporting andadvancing work past said stitch-forming mechanism, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed \workengaging members both disposed at the work-discharge side of said feed-cups and each having la workgripping surface extending above the upper surfaces of said feed-cups so as to engage the Yopposite sides of the work at the level of vseam formation, said pull-feed mechanism having at least one of its work-engaging members'driven,

(i. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a. horizontally disposedendwise reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups-rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed below the pathrof reciprocation of said needle for supporting and advancingwork past Vsaid stitch-forming mechanism, and. pull-feed Y mechanism including opposed work-engaging members both disposed at the work-discharge side of said feed-'cups and each having a Work-,gripping -surface extending above the upper surface of said feed-cups so as to engage the opposite sides of the work at the level of seam formation, said pull-feed work-engaging members being positioned to effect a straight line travel of the work between said feed-cups and said work-engaging members.

7. In a sewing machine,'stitchforming 'mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups disposed below the path of reciprocation of said needle for advancing work past said stitch-forming mechanism, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed Work-engaging members both disposed at the work-discharge side of said feed-cups and both having work-gripping surfaces extending through the horizontal plane containing the path of reeiprocation of said needle.

8. A sewing machine having stitch-"forming devicesl including a reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups having cooperating work-engaging faces for supporting and feeding work past said stitch-forming devices, a Vchaining finger disposed above said feed-cups and having a blade about which the stitches are formed and set, and opposed feed-members disposed at the discharge side of the feed-cups at a point removed Vfrom the point of seaming and having cooperating work-engaging faces extending'above and'below the level of the longitudinal axis of said chaining-Enger blade for exerting a pulling action on the seam at the level of seam formation.

9. A sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups -having cooperating work-engaging faces for supporting and feeding work'past said stitch-forming devices, a chaining finger disposed abcve said feed-cups and having a vblade about which the stitches are formed and 7set, and driven opposed .feed-rollers disposed at the discharge side of the feed-cups and having cooperating work-engaging faces disposedon opposite sides of the work and extending yabove and below the level of the chaining-finger.

l0. In a sewing maChinastitch-forming mechanism including Aahorizontally disposed` endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups rotatable about substantially vertical axes and-disposed below the path of reciprocation yof said needle for supporting and feeding the work past said stitch-forming mechanism, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed work-engaging members both disposed -at the work-discharge side of said feed-cupsfor .engagement with cpposite sides of the work at the level of seam formation, a single bracket supporting both of said Work-engaging members,` and driving connections for actuating at least one of said work-engaging members.

11. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism includinga horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed feed-cups rotatable about substantiallyvertical axes and disposed below theipath of reciprocationof said needle for supporting and feeding the work past said stitch-forming mechanism, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed driven work-engaging members both disposed at the work-discharge side of said feed-cups for engagement with opposite sides of the lwork at the level of seam formation, actuating mechanism for -imparting movement to said work-engaging members including a pinion, and a driving gear mounted coaxially with one of said feed-cups and meshing with said pinion.

l2. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mech* anism including a horizontally .disposed endwise reciprocatory needle. opposed inner and `outer feed-cups disposed below the pathof reciprocation of said needle for supporting and :feeding the work past said stitch-forming mechanism, shafts supporting each of said feed-cups, means for actuating said shafts, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed feed-rollers disposed at the discharge side of the feed-cups, and means for rotating at least one of said feed-rollers, said means including a shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, and a driving gear meshing with said pinion and carried by the shaft supporting said inner feedcup.

13. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed inner and outer feed-cups disposed below the path of reciprocation of said needle for supporting and feeding the work past said stitch-forming mechanism, shafts supporting each of said feed-cups, means for rotating said shafts, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed feed-rollers disposed at the discharge side of the feed-cups, and means for rotating at least one of said feed-rollers, said last named means including driving connections between one of said feed-cup supporting shafts and at least one of said feed-rollers.

14. A pull-feed unit adapted for attachment to a cup-feed sewing machine having a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, comprising a pair of opposed feed-rollers, a feedroller supporting bracket adapted to be secured to said sewing machine in position to support the feed-rollers at the work-discharge side of the feed-cups, an actuating shaft journaled in said supporting bracket and adapted to be operatively connected to a moving element on said sewing machine, and driving connections between said actuating shaft and said feed-rollers.

15. A pull-feed unit adapted for attachment to a sewing machine having a frame, a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, and opposed feed-cups disposed below the path of reciprocation of said needle, comprising a pair of opposed feed-rollers, a feed-roller supporting bracket adapted to be secured to the machine frame in position to support the feed-rollers at the Work-discharge side of the feed-cups, an actuating shaft journaled in said supporting bracket and adapted to be operatively connected to a moving element on said sewing machine, means supporting one of said feed-rollers for` yielding movement relative to the other of said feed-rollers, and gearing connecting each of said feed-rollers to said actuating shaft.

16,. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed inner and outer work-advancing feed-cups rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed below the path of needle-reciprocation, means including a vertical axis feed-cup carrying shaft for rotating said feed-cups, and pull-feed mechanism comprising opposed work-engaging members including a driven pull-feed roller disposed at the workdischarge side of said feed-cups, said members having work-engaging surfaces intersecting the horizontal plane containing the path of needlereciprocation, and actuating mechanism including said feed-cup carrying shaft for rotating said pull-feed roller.

17. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, work-advancing mechanism including opposed inner and outer feedcups rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed below the path of needle-reciprocation, and pull-feed mechanism comprising opposed work-engaging members including a driven pull-feed roller disposed at the work-discharge side of said feed-cups, said work-engaging surfaces intersecting the horizontal plane containing the path of needle-reciprocation, an-d operative connections with said work-advancing mechanism for rotating said driven roller.

18. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed inner and outer feed-cups rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed below the path of reciprocation of said needle for advancing work past said stitch-forming mechanism, and pull-feed mechanism comprising opposed work-engaging members including a driven inner feed-roller disposed at the Work-discharge side of said feed-cups and both having work-engaging surfaces extending above and below the horizontal plane containing the path of needle-reciprocation, and means for driving said inner feed-roller including intermeshing gears disposed entirely at the inner feed-cup side of the work.

19. In a sewing machine, a machine-frame, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed inner and outer feed-cups rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed below the path of needle-reciprocation for advancing work past said stitch-forming mechanism, and pull-feed mechanism including opposed inner and outer work-engaging members both disposed at the work-discharge side of said feed-cups and both having work-engaging surfaces extending through the horizontal plane containing the path of needle-reciprocation, said inner work-engaging member comprising a driven roller, a bracket attached to said machine-frame for supporting said inner roller, and driving means including gearing supported by said bracket for rotating said inner roller in timed relation with said feedcups.

20. In a sewing machine, a machine-frame, stitch-forming mechanism including a horizontally disposed endwise reciprocatory needle, opposed inner and outer feed-cups mounted on vertically disposed shafts and disposed below the path of needle-reciprocation for advancing work past said stitch-forming mechanism, the combination of a puller mechanism comprising a plurality of work-engaging members arranged to engage the opposite faces of the work at the discharge side of said feed-cups, one of said members comprising a driven roller, a bracket attached to said machine-frame and supporting said driving roller for rotation about a vertical axis, gearing supported by said bracket and driven in response to rotation of one of said shafts for driving said driven roller, and another of said members being resiliently urged into engagement with said roller.

JOHN A. PONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,060,799 Van Horn May 6, 1913 1,723,786 Jones Aug. 6, 1929 2,398,225 Hacklander Apr. 9, 1946 

